Breezy Days
by epic.is.what.i.aim.for
Summary: People make mistakes everyday. Some bigger than others. Troy Bolton's just made one that will change the lives of four friends--FOREVER. TxG, TxS, SxZ, ZxG
1. When It All Began

**Chapter One: When It All Began**

Even though it'd just turned autumn with the wind barely blowing, Zeke Baylor felt cold as ice. Anyone not in his position might have looked up at the full moon brilliantly shining in the sky and admired its beauty. But tonight, Zeke stood alone under the stars, wishing he was somewhere pitch black where he might pretend he wasn't seeing the scene set before him. A state of shock had frozen his emotions, until slowly he gripped the pink coat in his hand tighter and tighter.

For a moment, he thought about taking a few fatal steps forward, as if to face the music. He would stand up and be a man about it. However, he was sensible enough to know with anger still rising in his throat that things would not go well. Zeke Baylor walked away from a difficult situation that evening but he was not the only one who would face the like. Within a few hours, four other people including the ones Zeke had just left behind, would face the most unbearable and important decisions of their lives.

Instead of falling in step behind Zeke, Gabriella Montez decided to stay put. Something about the impossibility of it all froze the young girl in her spot. She wanted to laugh and cry in the same moment; and then, scream in Troy Bolton's face. As the pair on-stage continued their whispered conversation, Gabriella heard only bits and pieces. Suddenly, the urge to cry overpowered a million other emotions surging through her veins. She let out a whimper, which might have gone unnoticed if it weren't paired with the sound of crunching leaves as she lost her balance momentarily.

Troy Bolton slowly turned around, just in time to see his girlfriend running toward the parking lot. As he peered out even further into the darkness, he spotted another familiar face ahead of Gabriella. It was apparent she had come with Zeke and they were both making their way to the same vehicle.

Behind Troy, Sharpay Evans began to sniffle. He whipped around to face her. She shifted her eyes toward him in a half-glare, half-gaze. Troy merely whispered Gabriella's name. Sharpay took a step forward and punched him in the shoulder with all her might. But in the next second, she was crying on his shoulder.

* * *

A few hours later, Troy had dropped Sharpay off at her place and arrived at his own. He knew he loved Gabriella; he knew he should call her and at least try to explain. But he didn't because he might love Sharpay. And it was that uncertain feeling that kept Troy on the edge.

If he jumped, he would free fall into a deep relationship with Sharpay, his best friend who might not be ready to make that leap of faith. He'd send Gabriella all kinds of wrong messages and he'd never be able to reach her again. On the other hand, Troy could just stay at the top of the peak where he was—with Gabriella, his girlfriend and the so called "love of his life." But he would have to let Sharpay go when she might fall to the bottom of a dark place—somewhere no helping hands could reach her. Then again, Troy may not have to make any of these choices because Gabriella might leave him first.

They'd broken up thrice before but this time he had really broken her heart and Troy wasn't sure if she had any forgiveness left in her. As Troy contemplated their past difficulties and how it would feel to lose Gabriella one final time, he realized he wasn't ready to let her go. But it was no longer in his hands. The world as Troy knew it had just come to an end. And there was no telling what beginning tomorrow would bring.

* * *

After a short tearful conversation over the phone, Taylor stood at her best friend's front door. Gabriella's tears were still flowing freely as she opened it and ran into Taylor's arms. Still hugging, they walked in and sat on the edge of Gabriella's bed. She explained the cause of her distress as Taylor held her tight and listened in silence.

She'd been like a deer in the headlights. She was still in shock, still blinded by the horribly bright truth. The scene continued to replay in Gabriella's mind—all of it in slow motion. Bumping into Zeke as he stopped abruptly, turning to see Troy and Sharpay, her vision blurring, tripping as she turned to run, the silent ride home in Zeke's car, the hateful frown and the pained look in his eyes as he apologized for something he didn't do and the smell of burning rubber as he sped off.

Upon finishing her dark tale, Taylor slowly let Gabriella out of her tight embrace. Gabriella sat back on her bed, brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin atop them. Taylor looked her in the eyes, as her own watered and shook her head sadly.

"I wish there was something I could say to make it stop hurting," she said, pausing to stroke Gabriella's hair. "But all I know is it's gonna get worse before it gets better." Gabriella only nodded in acceptance of the truthful statement. Taylor smiled weakly and continued, "If it's any consolation, Sharpay's probably more to blame than Troy."

Gabriella looked away when she said his name. She tried to blink back her tears but they fell anyway. She quickly wiped her eyes. Taylor kissed her best friend's cheek, said goodbye and left Gabriella to cry alone.

* * *

After a betrayal Zeke Baylor had felt keenly, the only way to spend the rest of his evening was in the kitchen. But instead of making Sharpay's favorite cookies, he made his own. He could only hope Gabriella liked chocolate chip too because he planned on giving her at least half of the six batches he'd stayed up all night baking. When Zeke woke up the next morning, his first thought was, "I'm gonna be late." He'd already hit snooze three times and with no time to waste, he ran into the bathroom to wash the flour off his face.

The words "tired" and "impatient" could describe how Zeke was feeling as he hurriedly walked down the corridors of East High. He was on his way to Gabriella's locker and he prayed he made it there first. Fortunately he did. He scribbled Gabriella's name on an index card, stuck it between the cookies and placed the basket on the floor in front of her locker. Zeke walked away wondering why, even in _his_ time of need, he went out of his way to make _others_ feel better. This was supposed to be the time when he called on his old friends not the time to make new ones. Then again, he and Gabriella were tied together in this misery whether they liked it or not. Zeke thought he might as well embrace it.

As he continued walking, he noticed loud talking coming from inside the men's room. He stopped and faced the entrance and for the second time in 24 hours, he was hit with the full force of it all, except this time it was literal.

Troy Bolton had been laughing and talking with his best buddy, Chad Danforth as they washed their hands and finished up in the restroom. He was trying to act normal, trying to pretend everything was the same—like nothing had changed last night. Troy started teasing Chad about something, only to make him annoyed. Chad tried to hit him with the paper towel he'd been drying his hands on. In an attempt to escape further retribution, Troy tried to run out of the bathroom but Chad was right on his heels and neither of them was paying attention to their surroundings. Troy run right into Zeke and Chad followed after him. They all wobbled back from the shock; Zeke barely kept his balance but he stayed upright. Chad shook off a little dizziness and looked up to see their blank stares. He started to laugh until he realized neither Troy nor Zeke thought it was funny.

Then without warning Zeke had Troy by the collar and was pushing him back into the men's room and up against the stall door.

"Who do you think you are?!" Zeke shouted menacingly. "You really think you can go around ruining people's lives and get away with it?!" He pushed a little harder on Troy's neck where he held his collar, until Chad managed to shove himself between them. Zeke let go with the thrust of his hand. "What the heck were you doing with my girlfriend last night?" Zeke threatened, lowering his voice.

"What's the matter with you two?" Chad asked, still keeping one hand on each friend—separating the two enemies. Troy looked away silently and Zeke just glared at the back of his head. "Troy?" Chad asked, furrowing his brows and pushing him. After what seemed like whatever, the silence was broken with the flush of a toilet. Jason's tentative voice spoke up from inside the stall.

"Uh guys…can you let me out?"

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**OK, I'm pretty sure this is my best story yet. What do you think? I know, I know. It's obvious what happened between Troy and Sharpay. Then again, maybe things aren't what they seem. Maybe the author wants you assume one thing so she can turn around and hit you with another... ;) I will be updating this story regularly (I'm already working on Chapter 2) Check out my profile for update information on all my stories!**

**Please, please review! Especially if you favorite, alert or subscribe. You don't have to write much...I promise it'll take you less than a minute! Thank you for reading my work.**


	2. The Blind, The Dirty and The Lost

**This chapter is dedicated to UnwrittenTale cause she's one of my besties!! Also because she reviewed first. ;;)**

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**Chapter 2: The Blind, The Dirty and The Lost**

"Uh guys…can I come out now?" Troy nodded as if Jason could see him and started to move out of the door's way, but the hand Chad had on his chest pushed him right back.

"Stay where you are!" Zeke and Chad shouted at Troy in unison.

"OK," Jason responded meekly, sitting back down on the lid of the toilet. Chad sighed.

"Not you, Jason. You can—go," Chad was interrupted by the ringing of the late bell. He sighed _again_ upset he wouldn't be able to finish what Zeke started. Chad angrily opened the stall door, shoving Troy to the side and told Jason to get to class. He ran like the scared weasel he was.

"This is not over," Chad continued, turning from Zeke to Troy. "We meet on the track during free period." Zeke glared one last time at Troy and walked out of the restroom. Chad shook his head at Troy who was too busy trying to straighten his shirt to notice his friend's disappointed look.

Finally, he looked up but Chad just pointed at him and said, "We need to talk—before free period." Troy shrugged, like it could wait. Chad didn't agree.

"Let's go," he said as he dragged Troy out of the men's room and down the hall.

* * *

Ryan Evans was not very close to his sister, Sharpay. Most twins have a special connection; they did not. Their relationship did not include mind-reading powers, a sixth sense or any form of "communication" at all—even the normal kind. Therefore, he found nothing unusual in Sharpay's deathly silence on the drive to school that morning; in fact, Ryan quite enjoyed it. He might've noticed it was a little weird that she didn't parade herself through the hallways on their way to homeroom but he didn't contemplate it very hard. As the day went on though, Sharpay began to drop more and more clues.

Finally Ryan's suspicions reached a climax between 3rd and 4th period when he heard a familiar voice whimpering. Tilting his head in the direction of the sound, he realized it was coming from behind a door marked _Janitor's Closet_. Ryan walked over and pressed his ear up against it. Suddenly, he got the strangest feeling of déjà vu. It surprised him that he could even remember the sound coming from his sister's mouth—and then that thought finished registering in his brain. Sharpay was sitting on a dirty old box next to a smelly mop in a dark janitor's closet, crying. Shocked and a little scared at how she might react if he opened the door, he jumped back. He listened a few seconds longer, as she continued to sniffle. Ryan hated to be the one to go in but seeing as no one else was offering, he would have to do it.

Taking a calming breath, he shoved the door open to reveal Sharpay's tear-stained face. All the animosity and fear he'd felt towards her a moment ago melted away. She glared at him for catching her in a weak moment but he only stepped closer. She looked away, deciding it wasn't worth pretending any longer. Ryan stepped in, flipped the light switch and closed the door behind him. He cleared a spot next to his sister and stared at her with a concerned thoughtfulness in his eyes. Unexpectedly, Sharpay shifted her position to face Ryan full on.

"What I'm about to say never leaves this … closet," she glanced at her surroundings with disgust as she spoke, "Agreed?"

"Agreed," Ryan sighed in relief. He was just glad Sharpay was willing to open up—even if it didn't change anything between them.

"Good," Sharpay said, her eyes watering again. She looked down at her lap and fiddled with her hands. "I made a mistake… I lied—to everybody. But worst of all," she made eye contact before continuing, "I lied to myself." She glanced away at the door and wiped a few tears that had leaked out.

"That's what actors do right, Ryan? We pretend to be people we're not." Ryan nodded and stared at his feet. She didn't turn to see his reaction or response; she already knew. "I've been doing it for so long, I don't know who I really am anymore." She finally looked back at her brother. Sharpay had to cut him off before he interrupted.

"Don't lie to me, Ry. Don't say 'It'll be alright' or that you can help me 'find myself.' This game of charades I've been playing isn't fun anymore." She sighed and bit her lip, trying to stop another stream of tears. "Yesterday, I hurt my best friend and…and…." Sharpay choked up as the image of Zeke's pained expression came to mind.

"And the only one who really loved me back."

The tears fell, sliding down her cheeks and burning her throat. She threw her hand over her mouth desperately holding back her sobs. It pained Ryan to see Sharpay so badly broken and so afraid to let it out. She shook her head—shaking it off, shaking it off. Ryan blinked back a couple tears himself as he put his hand on her back, rubbing soft circles. Until she couldn't take it—she let it all out. And in between sobs, Sharpay told him the whole story.

Unbeknownst to either sibling, someone had seen Ryan enter the closet and they were listening as well.

* * *

Finally on her way to lunch, Gabriella had a moment to stop by her locker and exchange her books for morning classes with the ones she would need that afternoon. To her surprise she found a basket of cookies with her name on it, had been waiting for her all day. She bent down and took the name card out to inspect it further. At first she thought Troy might be making a peace offering but the handwriting was not his. Still the secret deliverer had left no clue as to their real identity. As Gabriella replaced the card and lifted the basket off the ground, she noticed a few of the chocolate chip cookies were missing. Whoever had left them for her had arranged them in a neat pattern that was now ruined by a pair (or pairs) of greedy hands.

Gabriella immediately jerked around and suspiciously eyed a few innocent (or not so innocent) bystanders who in turn left her sight as quickly as they could. Today was not the day to mess with Gabriella Montez. Instead of the sunlight that she usually emanated, she was putting rainclouds above everyone's head. _Misery loves company_ and Gabriella was determined to bring everyone down with her. Especially Troy; he had some explaining to do and as Gabriella slammed her locker shut, she decided they were going to have_ that_ talk today. She clutched the cookies to her body and mentally prepared herself for a confrontation as she walked in the direction of the cafeteria.

_God_, she thought, _why did I even get out of bed today?_ If only her emotional sickness had a physically evident fever, she might've convinced her mom to let her stay home. Gabriella's mind wasn't made for this kind of confusion; this kind of conflict; this kind of drama. She was a genius and she only knew how to handle numbers and equations. These new interpersonal problems didn't add up in her brain. _Thanks a million, Troy_, she thought, _you've turned me into my own worst nightmare_.

All of a sudden, the basket she was carrying became too much weight to hold. Gabriella barely made it to the lunch table before her knees buckled and gave out.

Taylor stopped mid-bite and turned to the spot beside her where Gabriella had just crashed. A look of concern crossed her face and she put her sandwich down.

"Gabriella," she whispered close to her friend's ear. "What are you doing here?" Gabriella shook her head as a deep sadness clouded her eyes. "You should've stayed home today," Taylor continued.

Gabriella stopped listening and looked around the table of geniuses and so-called geeks. They awkwardly stared back at her. They had never seen Gabriella, their team leader, so disheveled and out of sorts. It was scary for them to see her looking so weak, so real and affected, so … human. Taylor broke the group out of their trance with a sigh. She realized Gabriella hadn't given attention to her for several minutes now. She shoved half of her sandwich at Gabriella.

"At least eat something…please."

"No!" Gabriella shouted, abruptly standing up. She slapped her palms on the table before her, one on either of side of the basket. She dropped her head, her face inches from the cookies. As she took in the delicious scent with deep breaths, she comprehended something. Gabriella looked from the cookies to the table of jocks and back to the cookies; then she knew.

"Excuse me," she said firmly looking at Taylor.

After staring at his brown paper lunch bag for a full five minutes, Zeke finally decided he would at least try to eat something. He pulled out the cold hoagie-sandwich his mother had packed for him last night and lifted it up to his mouth. His mouth started watering and he really wanted that first bite. Just then, Gabriella Montez sat down across from him, interrupting his delicious thoughts. Zeke took a bite, anyway and looked up to meet her eyes. Gabriella smiled warmly.

Too quickly, his appetite dissolved and he wanted to get away from her. Zeke had nothing against Gabriella personally but she served as a reminder of everything he wanted to forget last night. He gave her a look to 'get to the point' and so she did.

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**Chapter 3 will be out next week. Might take longer than this one because the school year is coming to an end for me and I have a lot of last minute things to take care of. Review, review, review! I need at least 6 before I will post the next chapter (when I've finished writing it.) I just need to know what your thoughts are guys. ;D Check out my profile and take the poll if ya feel up to it. Thanks!**


	3. Switching Sides

**This chapter took me a little longer to write but I think it came out good. Also I didn't get as many reviewers as I'd hoped...or asked for but I appreciate the subs/alerts. This one is dedicated to _-xGuiltyxPleasure-_ for being the first to review last chap. :D Enjoy! Check my profile for update info.**

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**Chapter 3: Switching Sides**

"Listen Zeke," she started. "I really appreciate the cookies but … that's not gonna cut it." Zeke rolled his eyes, turning away. "I know you don't wanna talk but whether you like it or not, we're gonna have to." He frowned deeply and stuffed his food back in the bag. Gabriella reached across the table and put her hand on his. Zeke stopped moving and met her eyes.

"Let's go talk," Gabriella said softly. Zeke slowly and deliberately pulled his hand away and stood up. Gabriella smiled at her feet and led him out of the cafeteria.

"Where to?" he said once they'd stepped out of the lunch room. He gave a weak smile. Suddenly, Gabriella's smile widened.

"It's a surprise. Follow me," she said, wiggling her shoulders happily and running down the hall ahead of him. Zeke had no choice but to go after her. They reached a dead-end and just when he started to question her, Gabriella pushed open the door to the art room. She beckoned him in and closed it behind him.

The lights were off but there was enough sunlight shining through the closed blinds to show them the way. When Gabriella ran in the supply closet, Zeke shook his head in wonderment. He followed her in, though it was against his will. Gabriella sat down on one of the brown storage boxes and he found a spot next to her. She reached above her head and pulled a metal chain; a dim light bulb turned on. Zeke looked very confused, his face contorted in a peculiar way. Before she knew it, a laugh escaped her.

Zeke rubbed his forehead and smiled at her.

"How do you stay so happy? I mean … even after everything?" Zeke asked, watching Gabriella's smile soften. "Cause right now, I could punch someone. I mean, not you … but…."

"I get it," Gabriella replied quietly. "I feel the same way … except I'm a girl and we don't punch; we cry." Zeke nodded and gave a small chuckle in agreement. "Well, maybe some girls punch—like that one time when Shar—" She cut herself off and wished the words away. They both looked at their feet and the happy feelings were gone. After a moment of silence, Gabriella cleared her throat and spoke up.

"What I wanted to say was … well, I wanted to know if you've, uh, talked to …either …yet?" It wasn't like Gabriella to stutter her words. Zeke could sense the awkwardness but he knew exactly what she was asking.

"No," he responded simply. Gabriella nodded, her brows creased in worry. She tapped her foot anxiously and rung her hands together. "How about you?" he asked.

Gabriella shook her head and hung it low. "I'm gonna text him. I think it's best if I come to him …to talk."

"Why?" Zeke asked, anger rising in his throat at the man who would hurt such a sweet girl. "Don't you think he should come crawling to _you_ for forgiveness?" Gabriella looked up in surprise.

"Oh, I'm not forgiving him. No, no. I want an explanation…" she paused to think and she turned to face Zeke. "I figure if we talk at his place, I can leave when I don't like what he has to say. And maybe his mom will see me looking upset and he'll get a lecture." She popped her brows and gave a smirk. They both smiled at the thought. Then Gabriella's smile faded.

"I mean, what if …maybe we …maybe we got it all wrong?" Gabriella asked sheepishly. Zeke frowned in opposition. She continued, "What if we misunderstood? I think it's possible … it was just a—" Zeke cut her off sharply.

"Don't defend him!" he spoke too loudly. Gabriella shrank back in her seat. "You think it's all her fault don't you?! You think you and Troy have this _perfect_ relationship …but he's the one who was being 'so friendly' with her from the beginning. You were just too blind to see!" Gabriella stood up abruptly, the words cutting her like a knife.

"Oh, you mean too blind to see Sharpay _stealing _Troy's heart?! And if you really thought that why didn't you save me the trouble and just tell me!" Zeke glared and stood up to her eye-level. "I didn't see you in any rush to leave her and find someone who _really_ loves you …the way that Troy loved me!"

"She did NOT—"

"LOVE YOU!" Gabriella finished for him. Zeke fell back a little and Gabriella put her hand on the doorknob to leave.

"You don't know that," Zeke said quietly. Gabriella looked over her shoulder as she opened the closet door.

"You're right," Gabriella said decisively. Zeke sat down, losing the last of his strength. "But I'm gonna find out." With that, Gabriella walked out, leaving Zeke alone in the supply closet—with no Sharpay to comfort him.

* * *

After skipping an entire period to talk it out with Ryan, Sharpay was feeling more like herself. She was now walking as fast as her ultra-high pumps would allow and swinging her hips extra wide. Finding Troy in such a huge school would not be easy but Sharpay had spent nearly four years of her life in this building. If anyone could find the scoundrel, that person would be her. As she reached the cafeteria doors, she paused to peek through the window. Her eyes looked on the table of jocks but no Troy; or Chad, Sharpay noted.

Narrowing her eyes dangerously, Sharpay spun around angrily on her five-inch heels. Within seconds she'd made it down the hall and to the library entrance. She was about to walk in when Troy burst through the door. He was flustered and in hurry to leave, but his expression softened when she met his eyes. She offered a small smile but before either could speak, another body flew out of the door.

"Troy!" said a frustrated Chad. "I wasn't finished you know!" Chad stopped moving toward his friend as he noticed Sharpay and her curious look. Troy stuffed his hands in his pockets, not bothering to acknowledge Chad's presence. An awkward silence set in and all three friends stood fidgeting, waiting for someone else to make the first move.

Finally Sharpay sighed impatiently and began to tap her foot. Troy looked up.

"Did you want something, Shar?" Troy asked.

"Yes, of course, I did. Why else would I come all the way down here?" She rolled her eyes, annoyed by Troy's boyish density or lack of conversational skills. Chad looked back and forth between the two, until Sharpay raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow in his direction.

"Well," Chad started. "I can see you two have a lot to talk about so…. We'll finish our conversation later Troy." Troy rolled his eyes and waved him away in response. Chad stalked off opposite the direction Sharpay had come from.

"So…you wanna talk?" Troy asked. Sharpay pursed her lips and nodded softly.

Without another word, he led her to the rooftop—a place he never before to take his best friend. He had figured it was dangerous territory since Gabriella had always seen it as place just for _them_. Now that all of _that_ had gone down the drain, Troy needed Sharpay close to him.

Sharpay eyes widened at the beautiful scenery around her. She never thought she'd see something so marvelous on top of East High, a place she had always seen as concrete and urban. But up here, it was exactly the opposite. She turned to Troy, a smile playing on her features. He flicked his head, urging her to venture further out on the roof. When she hesitated, he took her by the hand and led her to his favorite spot.

Sharpay slowly sat beside Troy on the cement ledge surrounding the centerpiece in this … secret garden. She shut her eyes and breathed deeply. She wanted to take it all in, remember this place with every sense. Suddenly an image of Gabriella and Troy in this same position ended her fantasy. Sharpay felt tears well but she quickly opened her eyes. Looking at the flowers again, a peace came upon her. Troy put his hand on top of hers and she raised her eyes to his.

"It's beautiful, huh?" he asked. She sighed and gently removed her hand.

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**Review. Review. Review. ;)**


	4. Truth Be Told

**This chapter is dedicated to my sister cause, well, just cause. I just felt like it okay?! ;P Tell me what y'all think in your reviews... **

**'And we avoid the topics; we make the kids have secrets. When they are exposed and everyone else knows, we'll say we never knew it ... that they had a problem--cause if we would've known, we surely would've solved it. But we can't it; it's too late...' Topics:Nevertheless:GreatSong:GreatBand**

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**Chapter 4: Truth Be Told**

"Troy," Sharpay started with her heart on her sleeve. Troy was her best friend and the only one who saw her as vulnerable as she really was. "What did last night mean? What did _it_ mean?" Troy picked at the seams of his jeans and shifted in his seat.

When he didn't respond, Sharpay continued, "You said I was special to you and that you wanted to show your best friend how much she was worth…. But that wasn't—" Troy cut her off.

"I know what I said," he said as he anxiously twisted his fingers together. "I don't know what I was thinking last night…. My thoughts and feelings are a little scrambled right now, Shar."

"So it was all a lie?" She asked angrily. "You didn't mean it?"

"No, I'm not sure I did … or even if I do now."

Sharpay turned away from him. A moment later she turned back and said, "You seemed pretty sure last night." Troy's head hung low. Sharpay shot up and briskly walked toward the stairs. Suddenly, Troy was behind her and grabbing her arm. He spun her around to face him. Her eyes were red and glistening.

"Look Sharpay, what I meant to say was, I don't know if I still think of you as my best friend or…or something more," Troy said, his breathing labored for more than reason. Sharpay folded her arms across her chest and gazed down at her feet. Troy swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut as he said, "I think I might be in love with you."

When Troy opened his eyes again, Sharpay was bawling. She held a hand over her mouth to hold back her sobs. He stepped closer to her and put a hand on her tear-stained cheek. She shook her head softly as he wiped away her tears. Sharpay took her hand off her face, only to put it to on Troy's. She ran it along his cheek and then around the back of his neck. Troy closed his eyes and let his hand fall from her cheek. She moved closer and wrapped both arms around his neck. He held her tight.

They stayed in that position until the bell for 5th period rang out. Although Troy had free period next, Sharpay didn't, so they parted ways with a much shorter hug. Troy walked away with the smallest of smiles on his face. Sharpay's touch still lingered and he was soaking it in. She'd made it feel like things could get better, that there was hope he might be able to fix things. He kept his head down as walked through the hallways thinking about a future with Sharpay. Suddenly, Troy walked right into an unexpected body.

"You're late," Chad said completely unaffected by the impact. Troy dropped his shoulders, making it clear he was not looking forward to a group meeting with Zeke and Chad. Chad rolled his eyes and continued, "But Zeke cancelled so I guess it really doesn't matter."

Troy sighed in relief and then asked, "Did he say why?" Chad nodded.

"Yeah; he said, among other things I will not repeat, it's too soon to work it out. Not in _a-he's-too-afraid_ kind of way but in _a-you-should-be-afraid_ kind of way. I mean you want to talk and he wants to kick your—" Troy cut him off.

"I get it, Chad. Thanks for the explanation," he said sarcastically. Chad shrugged.

"Whatever man, I'd watch my back if I were you." Troy gave a small nod in response. "I mean, who knew Zeke had it in him. I guess you should be careful whose girl you mess around with." Troy glared sharply, but Chad just chuckled and walked away.

Troy shouted after him, "By the way, I didn't 'mess around' with Sharpay, okay? She's my best friend; I was just …." He stopped, realizing there was no point in finishing an excuse no one cared to hear and more importantly, no one believed.

Troy had only taken a few steps away when he was stopped again; this time by a vibration in his pocket. He took out his cell phone and slid it open. It was text message from Gabriella.

_From __**Gabby**__: We need to talk. Meet me at your place after school._

Troy immediately replied: _I'll be there. Need a ride?_ He walked outside and sat on the edge of the fountain as he waited for her reply.

_From __**Gabby**__: Taylor will drive me. Don't be late._

* * *

A few hours later, Taylor and Gabriella were on their way to Troy's house. There was uncomfortable silence in the vehicle. Gabriella was going back and forth between picking off her nail polish and biting the tips she'd just scraped clean. Taylor was anxiously gripping the steering wheel, glancing over at Gabby in the passenger seat every chance she got. Taylor sighed and tried striking up a conversation. They were on Troy's block and there wasn't much time.

"Are you sure you don't wait me to wait outside? It's not a problem, really." Gabriella promptly took her finger out of her mouth and shook her head.

"Nope, I'm good," she replied, attempting to smile. Taylor didn't buy it.

"What're you gonna do? Walk home?" Taylor asked briskly. Gabriella said no. Taylor raised her brows and asked, "So you're gonna let him drive you?"

"No—just drop it, okay?" Gabriella replied, frustration in her tone. Taylor shrugged in defeat. They pulled up to the curb directly in front of Troy's house. As Gabriella opened her door and slid out of the car, she said, "I'll call you when I'm done." Taylor smiled and promised to be ready to pick her up.

Gabriella knocked tentatively on the door and it only took a few seconds for Mrs. Bolton to answer. She smiled warmly at Gabriella, obviously ignorant of the state of Troy and Gabriella's relationship. Beckoning her in, Mrs. Bolton informed Gabriella that Troy would be out in a minute. Gabriella nodded in acknowledgement and sat in the living room to wait for Troy. She was thankful for the chance to pause and prepare herself.

Troy came out just as Mrs. Bolton had predicted. Gabriella didn't bother with any niceties; she pushed past him straight into his room. Troy's mom gave him a look, to which he only shrugged and followed Gabriella. Closing the door behind him, he sat in the chair facing his bed where Gabby sat comfortably. Troy gave her a weak smile, clasping his hands between his knees. She glanced at Troy but offered no greeting in return. She wasn't here to waste time pretending things were fine.

"Troy," she said, getting down to business, "We've been through this so many times before … let's cut to the chase." Troy nodded, looking as serious as ever. "First of all, what was really going on between you and Sharpay last night?" Gabriella sat cross-legged on his bed and stared Troy dead in the eyes as he gulped nervously. He scratched his head before answering.

"Look Gabby, Sharpay is my best friend but when I promised to love you and you alone—I meant it." He paused to sigh. Gabriella looked away as her eyes filled with watery pain. "Last night…," he started again, "I never meant to break your trust, Gabby. I hate to see you hurt." Gabriella faced him hatefully.

"That's funny," she said, "because you do it an awful lot." Troy began to lose his patience.

"I really think you're overreacting, Gabriella," he said sternly. His expression reminded Gabriella of Jack Bolton, a man she had always thought of as her own father. _How dare he talk down to me_, she thought as the anger caught in her throat.

"_I'm_ overreacting?" she repeated as a question. Troy nodded thoughtfully. She smiled sarcastically. "Okay so last summer when _I_ was rehearsing for the talent show with _my_ friend, Ryan and _you_ came around acting like a total jerk—_that_ wasn't an overreaction?" Troy bowed his head shamefully. She continued, "But when you start treating your _'BFF'_ like she's your girlfriend and I get a little suspicious, maybe even jealous…." She shrugged and wiped her eyes angrily. "And then to top it _all_ off, instead of surprising your _real_ girlfriend, you surprise your precious _'friend'_ with—"

"I didn't think it meant that much to you," Troy cut her off; Gabby detected the rage hidden in his tone and jumpy legs. She glared.

"You're a liar."

"Can I please explain, Gabby?" Troy pleaded, his respect and adoration overcoming the anger he'd felt at her accusations.

"No," she said, gathering her things.

"But, isn't that what you came here for—to set the record straight?" Troy asked. She stood up.

"No, I didn't come all this way to here more of the excuses and lies you've been feeding me. I came here to tell you that I know you love her." Gabriella raised her hand as he tried to defend himself. "I know you do, okay? I could see it in your eyes." Her gaze drifted off slowly as she remembered the expression on Troy's face that night. It was the same face he'd worn the summer night they kissed for the first time. She shook away the thought. Troy stood up and stepped closer to her. Gabriella quickly turned and walked to the door.

"Honestly," she continued, "I really don't care anymore. Do whatever you want with her cause _we_ are over—for good." Gabriella ran out of Troy's room, letting the tears fall where they may. This was the last time she was ever going to let Troy Bolton hurt her. _Never ever again_, she thought as she ran out the front door, leaving a confused Mrs. Bolton in the kitchen. When she made it to the curb, she sat down and called Taylor.

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**So chapter four was finished earlier than expected. And I think it's pretty darn good (if I do say so myself) Do you agree? Review and let me know ... until next week then.**


	5. Our Thoughts Do Not Make Us

**Wa-lah! I hope you guys know how hard I worked to get this chapter out this week. ;) Gimme some good reviews, please! Enjoy. Oh and this is dedicated to UnwritttenTale (again) because she really inspried to get this finished. If you haven't checked her out yet, go do that now. Her iCarly fic _Knockin on Your Door _is totally awesome!**

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**Chapter 5: Our Thoughts Do Not Make Us**

As Troy sat alone in his bedroom listening to his parents' whispered conversation through the thin walls, he found it hard to be completely broken by Gabriella's good-bye. He sort of knew it was coming all along. Unfortunately, his concerned parents hadn't and they continued to make _un_-educated guesses about Troy's relationship problems. Troy grabbed his MP3 player and plugged in his ear buds. He turned up the volume until he could no longer hear the voices outside his door.

Gabriella had left Troy so many times before he could always tell when it was coming. It was as if she had a meter in her mind. If Troy made a mistake that registered as too high of a threat according to her measurements, she would leave him. Then Troy would have to balance the scales by rearranging his life to better suit her standards. It would only satisfy her until he failed again.

Troy rolled over on his bed.

Though, he really loved her and all in all, they had had a good relationship, the good-bye was bitter-sweet. Troy was pretty tired of the halos Gabriella expected both of them to wear. No, Gabriella wasn't conceited but she was really sweet—all the time. And she never got moody or made a fuss unless she absolutely without a doubt felt she'd been wronged. She knew that and she made it clear but Troy just wasn't like that. He never was, nor would he ever be.

He got angry without warrant or warning. He wasn't as thoughtful and considerate as he should've been at times. Yes, even _the_ Troy Bolton forgot birthdays and anniversaries. Sometimes he was selfish and he could bully Chad when he felt like it. Occasionally, Troy Bolton forgot or purposely chose not to do his homework. And though, Gabriella wouldn't accept it, Troy didn't win every game of B-ball he played.

So in a way, Troy felt more relief than sadness with the ending of this relationship. And more than that, he just wanted to jump right into something scary with Sharpay. Gabriella had said '_Do what you want_' but Troy knew in the back of his mind that rushing into another relationship right after a bad break-up was not a good idea.

Still, he couldn't stop himself from picking up the phone and calling Sharpay.

It went straight to voicemail, which meant one of two things: her phone was either off or busy.

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Sharpay was in her room, pacing the floor with her cell phone to her ear. She sighed as Zeke's voicemail message began again. His recorded voice came on and it took her back to a time that felt so foreign now. Zeke was telling her to leave message, telling her he would call back at the first available moment. This was void guarantee now because she'd left about 8 messages within the last 2 hours. Then her own voice came on the recording and Sharpay stopped her pacing.

"Yeah, well, he might not get back to you as _soon_ as possible cause Zeke here is a little busy enjoying me right now. He'll catch ya when he can. Deal with it," she laughed giddily. Sharpay had heard this recording too many times today and it was finally getting to her. She snapped the phone shut, not bothering to leave a ninth message. She flopped down on her bed and threw her head back. As she lay there, a realization hit her. Was she even sure she wanted to mend things between her and Zeke? It was obvious she loved Troy and the 'just friends' thing wasn't going to fly under anyone's radar.

She snatched the pillow from under her head and smashed it against her face. She screamed in it and thrashed her body wildly. Of course she wanted to patch up her relationship with Zeke! She couldn't just leave it like this. There was a time when Sharpay Evans wouldn't care who or what she hurt—as long as she got what she wanted in the end but Zeke had changed all that.

Sharpay had done some awful things in the past but when she got together with Zeke, she really changed her ways—even Ryan was impressed. She had put her life back together and 'manipulative' was a word that no longer described her. Sharpay had worked hard to earn his trust.

But now, she had gone and messed everything up; and for what? Troy was still with Gabriella, for better or for worse. And _she_ still had to work it out with Zeke and the new 'Sharpay' wasn't willing to give up on a relationship she had put so _much_ into.

The next day at school, Sharpay stood at her locker collecting the materials she needed for 1st and 2nd period. When she finished, she shut the door and turned to see Zeke leaning against the locker next to hers. Sharpay put her back to the pink locker she called her own and stood beside him. Not daring to meet his eyes, she stared straight ahead. Zeke sighed nonchalantly.

"So," he started coolly, "I got all your messages." He laughed to himself. "My phone was ringing so much my mom actually asked me if I was seeing more than one girl." His smile faded and Sharpay shifted awkwardly. He wasn't going to make this easy for her. Zeke continued, his tone serious this time, "After I finally listened to all the messages, I got to thinking … I don't even know if I _have_ a girlfriend anymore." Sharpay shifted again but Zeke never took his eyes off of her.

"I also don't know if I've got all the facts straight, now do I?" He asked, with the smallest of smiles. Sharpay finally looked up at him, her eyes bright and hopeful.

"Well, whattaya say we go work it out?" she asked sheepishly. Zeke nodded slowly, his smile widening.

"I'll listen to what you have to say but I can't promise anything more." Sharpay giggled softly and took his hand in hers. He hesitated for a moment, looking from their hands to her eyes and back again; but he decided not to pull away. Zeke let her lead him by the hand to a quiet place where they could talk.

Sharpay tried not to get her hopes up but their intertwined hands made her feel so safe; she never wanted to let go. In the back of her mind, she had her doubts. Is it possible to be in love with two people at the same time, she wondered.

Troy watched dumbfounded as the happy couple skipped away. In all his thoughts last night, he had never added Zeke to the equation. _How could I be so selfish_, he thought; _now what?_ He looked down at the single red rose in his hand, the one he had stolen from his mom's garden earlier that morning. He glared at it, jealousy branding it to his palm. He squeezed out his frustration on it; he let the broken petals fall out of his hand and started down the hallway.

He had almost made it to the chemistry lab before he noticed the extra set of footsteps in the empty corridor. He slowed his pace and so did the shadow behind him. Troy sped up quickly; the shoes behind him did as well. Finally he stopped in his tracks. The follower stopped inches from his back. Without turning around, Troy asked,

"What'd you want?" The small, sweet-smelling student took a silent step backward before responding.

"It's not over, you know" said the girl. The voice tickled Troy's senses and he thought he might know her. He twisted his neck a little, trying to get a glimpse of her.

"Don't turn around," she quickly ordered; then added, "Please."

"What's not over?" Troy asked, defeated.

"You and Sharpay," the voice was getting further away. "Did you notice what she wearing today?" Troy quickly turned around but the body was already around the corner. He thought about chasing after the girl but he was out of energy. Tired and confused, lost and scared, he slowly bent down and picked up the books he had dropped in the whirlwind.

As Troy stood up, finally ready to get to chemistry, Miss Darbus walked up to him.

"Shouldn't you be in class, Mr. Bolton?" she asked. Before he could even answer, she asked another question. "May I see your hall pass?" Troy patted the pockets he already knew to be pass-less and came up empty-handed. Miss Darbus sighed and pointed to the detention room.


End file.
